Boston Bruins: Could Zane McIntyre Be the Answer Behind Tuukka Rask?

Zane McIntyre has the opportunity of a lifetime, to start 2015 with the Boston Bruins

One glaring question remaining for the 2015 Boston Bruins, is who will begin the season as the backup goaltender to Tuukka Rask. The three candidates, Malcolm Subban, Jeremy Smith and Zane McIntyre, have very little experience as Subban is the only one with an NHL game in his records. Subban and Smith was the tandem that finished out last season in the AHL with the Providence Bruins, and McIntyre enters as a recent signee out of the University of North Dakota. At Bruins development camp, Zane McIntyre was the clear choice at this point, but September’s Training Camp will likely bring some changes. The Hobey Baker Award finalist spent most of his  development camp with Bruins goalie coach Bob Essensa. “I was working mostly on my post play, and post integrations and stuff like that where I can use different techniques in different situations. We kind of set a foundation as we move forward into the pro ranks,” McIntyre said of his camp experience.

Boston Bruins

Malcolm Subban and Jeremy Smith may have been with the team longer, since McIntyre was playing at UND, but McIntyre has the ‘veteran’ experience having attended a total of six Bruins development camps. He comes in as the favorite, and it seems that unless the team signs a free agent veteran, it is McIntyre’s job to lose. Zane understands the opportunity that he has been given, and how hard he will have to work to secure that job. “Obviously, there’s no pro experience and stuff, but at the same time, you’re play is going to dictate what happens,” McIntyre said at development camp. “I’ll probably learn that maybe sooner than later with pro hockey. You play well, you’re going to keep playing. If not, you’re going to find the rubber for a bit. I just got to learn to control what I can control, and put my best foot forward whether that’s in a situation at the (NHL) level or whether that’s in the AHL. Wherever you go there’s going to be competition, so I know that and understand that.”

Apr 9, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston University defenseman Ahti Oksanen (2) looks for a rebound in front of North Dakota goaltender Zane McIntyre (31) and defenseman Paul LaDue (6) during the first period of a semifinal game in the men

The bottom line is that when you stop pucks people notice, so we’ll see where that goes…

Bruins GM

has mentioned the possibility of bringing in a veteran to fill the void behind Tuukka Rask, but should give the three young goalies a chance to compete for the job. “Somebody has to step up and grab that role, and Zane is confident that he wants to . . . and I’m sure Malcolm is, and Jeremy is as well,” said Sweeney. “That’s healthy. It’s a bit of an unknown for us, so that’s an area that I’m going to continue to look at. Whether it’s a little more experience or you do allow a [younger] person to emerge in that regard. Zane is confident in his abilities, but that’s a big leap, and I think Zane would be the first to tell you that it’s a big leap. But the bottom line is that when you stop pucks people notice, so we’ll see where that goes.”

In my opinion, Zane McIntyre will earn the right to backup Rask when the Bruins open their 2015 season. His ability to stop the puck will be put to the test in September, but his experience should help him shine just a bit brighter than Subban and Smith in training camp.